1. Field
The disclosed technology relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, and more specifically to devices, systems, and methods related to the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. More particularly, the disclosed technology relates to an organic light emitting diode display with electrostatic discharges protection.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a substrate providing a pixel area, a peripheral area and a thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer encapsulating the substrate of the OLED display by alternately depositing an organic layer and an inorganic layer for encapsulation.
In the pixel area, OLEDs connected between a scan line and a data line in a matrix type are formed to include at least one pixel. The OLED includes an anode, a cathode, and an organic emission layer formed between the anode and the cathode. The peripheral area of OLED display includes a scan end, a data end, a power supply line for operation of the organic light emitting diode (OLED), a scan driver and a data driver. The scan end and the data end extend from the scan line and the data line. The scan driver and the data driver include a driving circuit converting the signals provided from the outside into the scan end and the data end of a scan signal and a data signal to select each pixel. The scan driver and the data driver is formed in a manufacturing process of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) or is manufactured into an additional integrated circuit chip (driver chip) and is mounted to the substrate.
In the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, since the substrate is formed of a glass, electrostatic discharge (ESD) is frequently generated in the manufacturing process or usage. More particularly, because the driving circuit is formed at the peripheral area, the electrostatic discharge can easily flow in. Such that, the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer of the driving circuit can be damaged and erroneous operation or damage can be generated by a short between the gate electrode and the data line.
To protect the driving circuit from an electrostatic discharge, a shield layer is formed of the same material as an anode of the driving circuit is developed. The shield layer is connected to a common power source or a ground power source through a power supply line. However, because the shield layer is formed on the protective layer, the shield layer is easily expanded or contracted by heat. This stress can be transmitted to the thin film encapsulation layer such that the thin film encapsulation layer is easily damaged.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosed technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.